


SU WANTED AU: More to the Universe

by DepressedCarrot, queenkorri



Series: SU WANTED AU [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coming of Age, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Fugitives, Gender Exploration, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Genderqueer Character, Government Experimentation, On the Run, Other, SU WANTED AU Extras, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Tumblr Prompt, let's dismantle capitalism together and fall in love along the way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DepressedCarrot/pseuds/DepressedCarrot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenkorri/pseuds/queenkorri
Summary: A compilation of a bunch of tumblr prompts/asks from the SU WANTED AU blog. Moments along Steven and Connie's journey that may or may not be expanded upon in the larger story. Some pieces will be canon-compliant to the AU but many are indulgent looks into the budding romance. Requests welcome!
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Series: SU WANTED AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945846
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	1. Arcade Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this first one during Pride and the prompt was Arcade. Of course I had to write about everyone's favorite enby bb.
> 
> This one was written before several things were solidified in the AU, Las Vegas was a place holder at the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by QueenKorri

He hadn’t meant anything by it when he’d said it. 

It was honestly just his way of keeping track of time. The days blurred so easily into years in that room; alone, with nothing but his thoughts for company... 

And on those rare days where he _wasn’t_ alone; where a person, each one different from the last, would enter unannounced for some random test or to prick his skin for the millionth time- 

He wished for those long, quiet moments to himself. He would close his eyes, not sleeping (he hadn’t truly slept in _years_ ), and remember the life he used to have... remember how long it’s been since he had that life...

_‘It’s my birthday today. I turned 14 and I’m still in this weird place with these weird people but I know the gems are looking for me! I’ll bet by the time they get here, I’ll have changed everyone’s minds and the government will_ **_want_ ** _to help us!’_

_‘It’s my birthday today. I turned 15 and my eyes are_ **_pink._ ** _’_

_It’s my birthday today… I think…? I turned 16 and I feel like a_ **_monster_ ** _-’_

So, anyway-

When Steven muttered, “It’s my birthday today. I turned 19 and I’m in Las Vegas with my new friend, Connie, hiding from the government,” under his breath-

He _honestly_ hadn’t expected anything to come from it. It was just a force of habit, after all.

“It’s your birthday today?!” The younger teen asked incredulously.

He wasn’t expecting someone to _care_. No one seemed to care about him. 

Not _one_ of the extraterrestrial biology scientists seemed to care that Steven was as much a human as he was a Gem.

No one seemed to care that he was left all alone; that the loneliness he felt wasn’t all too different from how he felt when he was left by himself in the beach house all the time.

No one seemed to care that he was so touch starved that at his lowest mental point, he had actually _looked forward_ to the experiments and prodding; just to feel like he still existed. 

No one seemed to care that he was under _so much stress_ , that he had transformed into a corrupted version of himself. In fact, the physiology department had seemed to love that; called it “progress.”

Steven could feel his blunt fingernails digging into the thickness of his palm, his hands clenched into tight fists as he held onto Cactus. _‘Those people…’_ The large teen thought angrily to himself. 

For years, Steven thought he could get through to the government officials that had effectively kidnapped him. Thought that if he gave them as much information on the Gems that he could, they all could band together to protect the planet and get everyone’s questions (including his own) answered.

It’d been six years and the earth was still here. Whatever big threat that the Diamonds had sent Jasper and Peridot to impose had obviously been dealt with. But… Steven _still_ hadn’t seen nor heard anything from the Crystal gems _or his dad…_ Though he had escaped barely a week ago, some naïve part of him had hoped that he would run into them-

He still did hope… sort of… 

All Steven had to show for all that time locked away was a permanent reminder of all the torture he’d been through. The numbers tattooed on his left side, right below the ribs, a perpetual brand on his body and mind.

_‘859.’_

Those people had never cared about him. They only ever cared about his gem, how they could _exploit_ his gem… 

No one seemed to care… 

That is… until Connie came crashing into his life. 

Literally.

“Huh?” Steven was pulled out of his thoughts by the prickly tongue lapping at his cheek, the pug-like cactus wiggling happily in his arms causing him to smile briefly. Cactus always knew what he needed (even if “always” only started about a week ago-).

It was then that his brain had finally processed Connie’s previous question, prompting him to answer, “Oh yeah! It’s my birthday.” He turned his face towards her, his absent smile fading slightly as he shrugged a bit too nonchalantly,

“Didn’t even realize I had said that out loud…”

“Steven!”

The smaller girl grabbed him by his forearms, causing the paler-toned of the two to jump in surprise and blush lightly. He really appreciated how physically comfortable Connie seemed to be with him. He never really had to ask when she was always so willing to give, but when he did, she never made him feel weird about it. Her touch was always comforting, even if this time it was sudden. 

The half human hybrid continued to look at his friend in amused confusion as she shook him in her enthusiasm, her bright smile infectious,

“Do you know what this means?” The younger teen asked excitedly.

“That-”

Steven’s eyes shifted to one side quickly before focusing on her again. He was excited because Connie was excited, plus she was really cute when she got like this (the few times he had seen this side of her in their brief time together was always a treat) but, he still was all types of confused, 

“That I turned 19…?” The larger boy asked with a bashful grin.

The two teenagers were currently walking along the strip before Connie had stopped Steven. The bright noon sun glinting off of the tall skyscrapers and the twinkling lights of closed casinos were bright even in broad daylight as the two of them kept their eyes peeled for a place to stay for the next few days.

“No, silly!” Her grip migrated from his forearms to his shoulders, ensuring that her gaze pierced directly into his own. 

Though Connie had an unnerving ability to pull the deepest of secrets out of him (and they had only known each other for all of _five days!_ ), there was very little that unnerved him about looking directly into her eyes. The soft brown of her pupils were warm, inviting and always held a sparkle of wonder… 

“It means we have to celebrate!” 

Connie could barely contain herself. _Finally_ , she was going to hang out with her friend, and they were going to celebrate his birthday and be normal teenagers. So what if her friend wasn’t the most normal of humans? The girl had always been a bit of an overachiever, so it was only natural that her new best friend was every bit of extraordinary. Normal was boring anyway and Connie was so, so bored of normal… 

Also, she could certainly do with less running from the government but still, the statement stood.

The excited girl practically vibrated as she continued on, “I mean, we’re in Las Vegas for goodness sake! What better place to celebrate is there?”

Connie was a bit of an enigma to Steven, he was so intrigued by her despite his better judgment (which told him to trust no one and get home as fast as possible). The lithe, passionate girl was so interesting to him, simple and complicated all at the same time. There were times, when she became so focused on their mission, she acted as if getting to Delmarva was the only thing on her mind; her only purpose.

And other times... 

“But first…” She had schooled her features into level expression, raising her finger to emphasize her seriousness. Then, she hugged him. It was brief, Cactus was surely pricking at Connie’s skin (smushed between their bodies as they were) and it wasn’t the first time she'd hugged him, but Steven still appreciated the tightness and warmth he felt from it, 

“Happy Birthday, Steven!” She pulled away too fast for him to properly embrace her back but, he wasn’t even sure he would have been able to move once he saw the dazzling smile spread across her features.

And it was times like this where… she acted as if they weren’t on the run at all.

It was nice, oddly enough. 

In these moments, like right now, he felt human; normal. 

“You’re not worried about… y’know?” Steven asked cautiously, placing one hand on the one that was resting on his shoulder. 

He was afraid that the question would jerk them back to reality, remind them of just what they were doing, and why. Being with Connie so often felt like an overextended lucid dream, where Steven was desperately clutching onto this world to avoid waking up in a world where he was all by himself again.

The girl in question waved her hand flippantly, rolling her eyes nonchalantly as she responded, “We’re in Las Vegas, a heavily populated city with new people coming in and out every day. We should be fine for long enough to celebrate your birthday!” 

She squeezed his shoulders, energy radiating through her whole form and Steven felt like he was looking at the brightest star in the galaxy…

“It’s your _birthday_ , Steven! That’s important!” One last squeeze and she was suddenly out of his bubble of space, peering up and down the strip as she talked to him over her shoulder, “What do you wanna do?”

Steven stared on as Cactus wormed out of his grip, yipping excitedly between the two before bounding down the strip, Connie’s excitement having rubbed off on the sentient plant-animal. The large, blocky boy was caught up in how Connie’s shiny hair gleamed in the sunlight, her smile rivaling the glowing orb itself and found himself rushing to answer after seeing the person in question ~~admiration~~ quirk her eyebrow at him.

“I-I think I saw an arcade back there that looked fun-”

Before the pink-eyed teen could even finish his sentence, Connie was already lacing their fingers together and pulling Steven in the opposite direction they had been walking in. She laughed good-naturedly, and Steven found himself giggling along with her.

“Okay then, let’s go!”

Then, they were racing against each other. And just for a short moment, they were _free_ ; free from running, free from crushing loneliness, overbearing parents and the ever-looming feeling of responsibility. Hands locked even as they raced, their troubles were left in the dust; forgotten as Cactus trailed after them, their stubby tail wagging the whole time.

* * *

“Okay, so… I’m going to be completely honest with you right now-” 

Connie announced the statement nervously right as the two of them entered the arcade building. The neon lights and flashing of the establishment blending in with all the other vivid lights that seemed ever prevalent in the city. The young teen chewed on her lip momentarily, before admitting cautiously, 

“...I’ve never _actually_ been to an arcade before… ”

Steven, who had spent most of his pre-teen days at Funland, where some of his best memories took place (including hours spent at the various video games the boardwalk arcade had to offer) was at a loss for words. Gaming and going to the arcade had been how he filled most of his days while the Gems were busy. He had even had some fun that one time he brought the Gems with him! Though... it did result in Garnet becoming Meat Mania obsessed and him having to work for Mr. Smiley to make up for the damage. That part wasn’t as fun, but he still cherished the childhood memory all the same. 

It was that kind of kooky craziness that he and the Gems always found themselves that made him really miss home… among other things…

It was one of the main reasons why he’d wanted to come to this arcade in the first place. 

To know that Connie had _never_ experienced something like that, getting lost in a game and collecting as many tickets her arms could carry… the pink eyed teen could only stare on unbelievingly. His jaw slack and eyes blown wide in disbelief as he let out a surprised, almost scandalized gasp, 

“What?!”

She’d done it again. 

Said something so _preposterously_ weird that even a boy classified as an extra-terrestrial and on the run from the government couldn’t believe how _freakish and socially stunted she was-_

Connie took a deep breath, a brief second to remember that Steven was not the judgmental type. Mysterious, secretive even (though not very good at keeping secrets), but not judgmental. 

Though, with the way Steven’s gaze patiently ~~disdainfull~~ y focused on ~~scrutinized~~ her, the breath did little to help. She bulldozed through her explanation, almost choking on her next breath intake and flailing her hands about as she did so, 

“ _Obviously_ , I know what they are!” The leaner teen began defensively, planted firmly near the entrance, whereas Steven had completely entered the building. The sting in her tone faded when she caught Steven wince. 

Connie wrapped her arms around herself, feeling guilty and self-conscious for her confusing emotions and burdening the already emotionally exhausted human in front of her. She began again in a much softer tone, though she was unable to look Steven in the eye, embarrassed as she was... 

“My parents are _kind of strict_ ,” Kind of was an egregious understatement, but Connie was really trying to work through the resentment she held for her parents. They were the ones to suggest this trip after all… 

“Playing video games in a germ-infested public area didn’t make much sense to them when I already played video games at home.”

Her grip on her own forearms tightened, eyes narrowing as she remembered some of the various arguments she had with her parents on how she spent her time. She’d always had to fight for the things that made her happy or feel relaxed, sometimes she wondered if it was really worth the effort.

“They barely even let me do that…” The dark-skinned teen muttered glumly under her breath.

Steven was suddenly in front of her, gripping her arms the same way she had done to him earlier. Their heights matched but with Steven’s bulky width, she sometimes felt like he was towering over her, shielding her.

“If you don’t want to do this, then we don’t have to,” The bulky boy squeezed her shoulders once, his smile soft and holding only the slightest bit of disappointment, “I appreciate you so much for wanting to indulge me for my birthday but we can-”

“Steven, no, of course I do!” Connie cut him off almost desperately, his unwavering sincerity making her cheeks warm and her heart jump slightly. It was _his_ birthday and all he could worry about was making sure that they both, that _she_ felt safe and included. Connie hadn’t had many (if any) friends before crashing into Steven, but he was very quickly becoming the best friend she’d ever had. 

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” The younger girl released her arms from her own iron grip, instead taking Steven’s hand and leading him further into the building. As long as he was with her, she felt like she could take on anything. “I’m just glad I get to do it with you!”

Steven let himself be pulled along, the lights blurring into each other as they raced towards the coin machine. His smile grew wider before he fell into unabashed laughter. He was so happy! 

Connie made him happy.

“I’m glad I’m with you, too.” 

Connie smiled brightly at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners and announcing her genuine joy. She pulled out a twenty dollar bill from her wallet and eagerly waited for the machine to turn it into coins. Soon, the two of them were properly equipped and walking around the arcade in search of a game to play.

“Oh man, is that what I think it is!” 

The larger teen exclaimed, jogging towards the elevated game machine. The words ‘Dance Party Evolution!’ sparkled on the screen, proudly displaying itself as the title. Steven clambered atop the platform as Connie caught up to him and leaned against the support bar in amusement. The screen title music clashed, only slightly, with the music playing in the arcade and that irritated her a bit, but mostly? Connie was just happy that Steven had found a fun game for him to play. The excited boy inserted two coins into the appropriate slot, speaking over his shoulder and bouncing to the catchy beat as he selected a song to dance to.

“Okay, so, it’s been a while for me, y'know being detained against my will and all,” Steven stuck his tongue out as he seriously pondered over the selection, scrolling through carefully, “but this used to be one of my favorite games!” 

He gasped happily as he finally settled on a cute, upbeat song filled with synthesized bells and twinkling sound effects. Connie giggled at his behavior, her wide smile having not diminished in the slightest. As the screen began the countdown, he prepared himself, but not before throwing his companion a quick wink and a self-assured grin,

“I’ve got some pretty sick moves, if I do say so myself!”

Connie could only laugh giddily, her eyes shut with unabashed glee as the feeling of companionship flushed her skin. When she opened her eyes again, she felt her face drop in awe.

He was _beautiful._

Steven danced as if no one was watching him.

And if someone _did_ happen to be watching him (mainly _her_ ), he danced on like he _didn’t care_. He used his whole body, losing himself in the sensation of bending and twisting his muscles and limbs to the insanely catchy beat. His head bobbed in perfect time with the rhythm, hips swaying with abandon as his feet hit the designated arrow with perfection every time, as the game so enthusiastically announced. 

Every move he made looked like freedom.

“I wish I was as brave as you, it looks so fun!” Connie felt herself saying, unable to stop the words from exiting her mouth, even if she’d wanted to. Just as it seemed Steven couldn’t keep much from her, she couldn’t keep much secret from him either.

Not that she wanted to.

“Come dance with me!”

And just like that, Steven had finished out his first round as the dazed girl merely stared on in wonder. His large hand was in front of her, smiling all sweetly as he looked directly at her, his eyes the kindest she’d ever seen them-

“OH!” Connie squeaked, backing away slightly. She scratched at the back of her neck nervously, body suddenly going stiff with all his attention on _her,_ “I-I’ll just keep watching you, if that’s okay-”

“Come on, Connie!” He pitched forward slightly, arm still extended out in invitation as he teased laughingly, “I promise it's _waaay_ more fun playing than watching!” 

Dancing by himself always felt good and it’d been so long since Steven had moved his body like that, since he _expressed_ himself like that- 

And while he was always perfectly happy with dancing for others, had been for most of his life-!

He’d always wondered what it’d be like to dance with someone… to have a partner.

An equal.

The darker of the two grimaced apprehensively; anxious noises escaped from between her lips as she found an astute interest in the deep shade of blue contrasting with the blindingly warm shapes and squiggles littered across the floor. 

“I… I really want to-” Her feet shuffled as she shifted her stance before meeting Steven’s eyes with a hint of hesitance, causing the boy to drop his outstretched hand slightly. Steven had her admitting things she was sure would stay under the rug she swept them under for the rest of her life. Of course, the pink eyed boy had been the only person she’d really known willing to listen, to look at the rug and wonder what was underneath it. 

“It’s just…“I’ve never danced in public before…”

“Never?” He asked almost too quickly, but only because he was genuinely shocked. To Steven, dancing was the same as walking. 

The Gems danced to fuse (something he never learned to do, unfortunately, nor was he sure he _even could_ do), his dad danced to music, the waves danced on the shore. If a silent room was suddenly filled with music, Steven’s natural reaction was to dance, to sing, to play along. 

Connie had never had that chance to feel what that was like. 

She was so focused on making sure he enjoyed his birthday, on giving him this gift, yet she hadn’t experienced it for herself.

That just wouldn’t do. What kind of friend would he be if he just let her live on like that? 

And if Steven Cutie Pie Quartz Universe was anything, he was a good friend. No amount of years kept away from his family and being wrongfully detained would ever take that away from him (though, it almost had); he wouldn’t allow it.

“Never,” the younger teen confirmed, shaking her head before continuing on, “There were a few school dances I wanted to go to, but I always chickened out at the last minute...”

She shrugged a bit dejectedly and looked off to the side, the intensity of Steven’s gaze overwhelming her slightly. She found herself rambling, trying to cover over just how pathetic she sounded, 

“Now that I’ve graduated, I guess I never have to worry about anything like that again… except maybe at college parties? But, that’s only if I go…” Connie raised her arms in frustration, before dragging her hands down her face, the little bit of pretense she tried to uphold falling away weakly, “Gah! Just the thought of all those eyes _staring_ at me _really_ freaks me out…”

Steven hadn’t noticed it until then, but the arcade was practically empty. The Vegas strip was particularly dead at this time of day; the only other people in the establishment were the owner themself and two employees keeping themselves busy. All of whom seemed to be otherwise occupied elsewhere, either with chatting or completing mundane tasks.

All in all, they were pretty much alone...

“Well,” He blurted out, the need to say something weighing on him, though, he wasn’t really sure of _what_ to say, “No one’s staring right now.”

There was a pause. An electric current ran between them, breath still and the air thick with anticipation. Connie’s warm brown eyes bore into his pink orbs, before stating matter-of-factly, 

“You are.”

Because what else could she say? She was right, after all. He _was_ staring.

There was no malice in her tone, just the truth, an observation. Steven always appreciated how honest she was with him. With her, telling the truth never came with the same pressure as it did when the scientists questioned him. Or even way before that, when telling the truth to the Gems was an uphill battle because they were so _stubborn_ and he had to fight to be heard, to be taken seriously. Even when he said some of the most outlandish things, or took hours to say anything at all…

Connie listened.

Steven _really_ wanted to dance with her-

“Oh! I-” He took a breath to steady himself, the sudden need to have her by his side shocking and fueling him at the same time. He then hopped down off of the platform to stand directly in front of her, gently holding her hands in both of his as he tried to explain again, 

“What I mean is-” He pulled her up onto the platform with him, her eyes blown wide, twinkling with stars and she found she couldn’t really resist him. 

Found that she didn’t really want to.

“You don’t have to worry about anyone else,” His attention was directly on her and she was all types nervous because she’d _never done this before_ and surely she’d mess up somehow and mess this up for Steven because she was clueless and-

But, more than anything else? Despite the nerves, despite the lack of experience, despite _everything_ , Connie realized something as Steven continued speaking softly, 

“It’s just you and me.”

She _really_ wanted to dance with him-

Connie smiled at him, gripping his hands, feeling his larger ones fully wrap around her smaller pair.

“Okay, I trust you. Let’s do this!”

And that same smile traveled onto Steven’s face, the glow of the large screen shining and illuminating their shared happiness. Steven pulled a hand away to reach for the cup of coins resting on the floor. He put two more coins in the slot and scrolled through the selection to find the same song he had just danced to.

It was a really good song.

“Ready?” He asked as they stood side by side, their hands connected between them.

Connie nodded once enthusiastically, easily slipping into determination to overcome a new challenge. Steven could only giggle at how cute she looked when she got focused like that. Just as the countdown drew to a close and Steven began to lead, Connie followed as best as she could, frustration festering just the tiniest bit that she hadn’t caught on immediately. The game MC’s _‘Fair!’s_ and _‘Good!’s_ were condescending in the shadow of Steven’s _‘Great!’s_ and _‘Perfect!’s_ flashing on his side of the screen. 

Suddenly, both of his hands were on her once more, moving her legs and hips in time with the movements on screen,

“Okay, so all you have to do is look at the move _before_ it lights up!”

She let him guide her until she became more familiar with the game’s algorithm, her side of the screen starting to dazzle with just as many _‘Great!’s_ as Steven’s thanks to his assistance (though no _‘Perfect!s’_ for her yet, though she was determined to have that change soon enough). 

It was easy to let him help her. He did it so sweetly and naturally, no expectations or pressure to get it right the first time.

“Like this?” She asked, an uncertain excitement about her. She still wasn’t sure if she was doing it right but, didn’t really care if it was wrong because-

She was having _fun_.

_‘Perfect!’_ lit up on both of their screens as Connie began to loosen up and shimmy along to the music, barely concerned with hitting the right steps anymore and letting the tune take over her body.

“Haha! Yes, you got it!” Steven praised her easily; genuinely. 

This was the most she’d ever seen him smile since she’d met him a few days ago, Connie was so happy that she was able to do this for him, to give him the space to feel joy again. What she hadn’t accounted for was how infectious and mind numbingly pleasant his joy was. Steven spun her around, switching sides while laughing boisterously and Connie could only join him.

Two teenagers on the brink of adulthood, dancing and giggling like children in an empty arcade; it should have felt ridiculous and it did a little but, mostly? It just felt good.

Connie lost herself in the atmosphere they’d created together, eyes closed as she twirled with abandon. Of course, with her eyes closed, she hadn’t seen Steven moving to switch sides again. Though his own eyes were closed in euphoria, so he really should've been more careful. 

His foot had caught onto her outstretched leg, vaulting him forward towards the flashing pink and blue stage floor. A shocked “Woah!” tumbled out of his lips as he braced himself for the inevitable dull pain of meeting the ground.

Instead, he felt thin, nimble arms catch him at the waist. His eyes snapped open to reveal Connie’s face, mere inches from his own.

“Gotcha!” She exclaimed as a look of what seemed to be protection and devotion settled across her features (but, maybe Steven was reading too much into it).

He couldn’t deny the role reversal of him being dipped by her. The absolute romantic implications of the position and the thousands of romance movies he hadn’t bothered to ponder on in years flashing briefly through his head but, more than anything, he was mostly caught up in how safe he felt. Steven was a big guy. At least one hundred and eighty pounds and she didn’t even hesitate to catch him; had just turned around and done so as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She was strong.

She was _amazing_.

The two of them stared at each other for a while, as the realization of their positioning settled onto Connie just as it had Steven. For a second, he could've sworn her irises flickered to his lips and before he could decide if he wanted to comment on it, she was moving closer; snickering softly af first before laughing louder and harder than ever.

It turned out that Steven wasn’t the only one with an infectious energy about them.

He felt her forehead rest against his own, giggles bubbling out of him easily, the sound of it drowning out the _‘Fail!’s_ and buzzer noises of the game they completely forgot they were playing. Steven had never felt this close to another human before, besides his own father. For so long, he was treated as “other”, as alien; the gem in his stomach seeming to ostracize him from both Gems and Humans alike. 

With Connie, though, he could complain about all the horrible things he went through and she wouldn’t judge him. He could randomly gush about something that reminded him of home without feeling self conscious. Connie had proven in five short days that Steven could trip and fall and no matter what, she would be there to catch him. In that moment, he vowed he would do the same for her. He wanted to be there for Connie just as she had been for him!

_'I’m so happy we’re friends.’_

Then, there was a bright, pink light.

The song faded out and Steven was nowhere to be found and neither was Connie, but they were both still there.

They couldn’t see each other.

One set of eyes looked down at their feet, which were bare, which was weird because they definitely had shoes on only moments before. Why were their boot- no, not boots, they were wearing sneakers? Well, Connie was wearing sneakers, but those were way too small for-

Maybe the reason they couldn’t see each other was because they weren’t exactly Steven or Connie anymore.

The tall, statuesque figure, stood on shaky legs, like a newborn lamb. They stared at their hands in wonder, marveling at their complexion that was darker than Steven’s but lighter than Connie’s... said hand ran dazedly through their long mass of curls as they realized-

They were Steven _and_ Connie.

“I did it!” They exclaimed proudly, tone low before shifting all too easily into suspicion and a higher pitched, inquisitive voice,

“What did you do? What did _we_ do?”

There they stood, in the middle of an empty arcade, a totally new person. Not quite themselves, but the most they’ve ever been themselves authentically, at the same time. One part of this person knew what they were but not how they came to be while the other part knew only that at one point they didn’t exist and now they did. 

All that combined didn’t provide a lot of answers. 

Still, they could start somewhere.

What were they? _Who_ were they?

_'Garnet would know,’_ The involuntary thought was, all at once, comforting and foreign to the fusion.

_Fusion._

And just like that... they had their answer.

They looked around curiously, cautiously, and released a sigh of relief as they realized the employees were still nowhere in sight. No one around to witness the incredibly alien ~~_wonderful_~~ thing ~~_experience, they were an experience!_~~ that had just happened. 

They were alone.

They were together.

They were something, _someone_ totally different.

No past. No overbearing parents. No government officials chasing after them.

They were _free_. Truly, completely, _free!_

“I’m a fusion.”

They stood firmly on their feet, the carpet digging into their skin slightly and they reveled at the feeling of being themselves together. Reveled in what it meant to be this close and to do _everything, together…_

“I’m a _**fusion!**_ ”

The newly formed being squealed excitedly, running out into daylight and dancing up and down the strip, the rest of their coins long forgotten in the empty arcade. There was no one there anyway and they needed to be seen. Needed to be around other people and to show them the amazing thing they were together.

The fusion hugged themselves tight, twirling and cartwheeling and **_having fun_**.

This had to be the best birthday, _ever!_


	2. Pizza Prompt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven and Connie have been traveling in the dessert for almost two weeks before finally making it to a motel where they can rest. It's been six years since Steven's had pizza and Connie sets out to fix that travesty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this as a result of feeling betrayed by Bud and Cooky. I kept asking them what the significance of pizza was because they would just say it to each other and go wild and for months I thought it was some big reveal or something. Once i got them to actually explain it to me I wrote this as revenge. Steven gets pizza but at what cost?
> 
> Written by QueenKorri

“It’s... _square…_ "

* * *

Six years of bland, pre-prepared, gray blocks of food passed off as frozen meals. 

Six years of lamenting meals never shared; entire pies eaten by himself sat heavy in his stomach, years and years after digestion.

Six years of dreaming of yummy, tasty, crispy triangular slices of absolute heaven; desperately trying to conjure the mouth-watering smell from memory and never truly knowing if he had succeeded. 

One throwaway comment from Steven and one impassioned phone call from Connie and here they were, in their non-descript motel room, getting pizza delivered.

Twenty-five agonizing, _torturous_ minutes waiting for the buttery, savory, _delectable ooey-gooeyness that was sure to change his whole life-!_

And the pizza

Was

_Square._

It started off as a silly conversation, as most of his revelations did. 

* * *

Earlier that morning, Connie declared that she was going to dedicate the day to teaching Steven how to drive. She needlessly debated that her driving all the time was just simply impractical and _‘It’ll be a useful skill for you to learn anyway, Steven!’_

She wouldn’t mention the pain she felt every time Steven revealed to her yet _ANOTHER_ common rite of passage he had missed out; thanks to the hyper-violent corrupt system that they called the government. 

They’d only been in her truck for about an hour or so before Steven ran over something, causing a flat tire. The truck owner herself may have gotten really frustrated that they were stranded _(AGAIN! Was this supposed to be a regular thing now?)_ and that her first and only car _(that she’d been gifted as a graduation gift!)_ was going through such a beating. Then, she remembered the spare tire she always packed in the trunk _(her father practically wouldn’t let her drive without it-)_ and had only forgotten about due to her sour mood but that was besides the point. 

Connie taught Steven how to change a tire instead. 

The two teens had dragged themselves sluggishly into the small room, thankful for the breeze coming from the tiny, rickety A/C filed underneath the window. Cactus bounded over to a patch of sunlight on the carpeted floor and graciously plopped herself down for a much needed nap. Her two companions wasted no time following Cactus’ lead, sprawling out on the floor next to each other, resting and cooling off.

Steven was just trying to get Connie to laugh. Steven knew he wasn’t the most attentive student. He _might_ have been more focused on trying to get his teacher’s face to flush that pretty pink color he’d seen, only briefly, at the arcade all those weeks ago (and the night before) rather than say... avoiding sharp objects on the road.

Connie had been so excited to teach him something, to share something with him and he was too! He, of course, had to mess it up in some way, selfishly trying to take up her attention when they should have been focused on one thing; getting back to Beach City. 

Today had been… frustrating for lack of a better word. Steven knew Connie could use the laugh.

And she had such a pretty laugh…

_“Hey, Connie?”_ He began innocently enough, _“Do you remember pizza?”_

_“I-”_

_'Her nose looks so cute when it wrinkles up like that-… ’_ Steven caught himself thinking as Connie struggled to seriously answer such an odd question. 

Steven could be very literal a lot of the time, due to his gap in development. 

So.

He could _literally_ be asking her if _she_ remembered what the popular Italian inspired savory circular digestibles were because _he_ didn’t. 

Other times, ~~most times~~ Steven was very playful and just liked to tease her. Connie had difficulty differentiating between the two modes and she had the lingering suspicion that he _knew_ that fact and used it for heinous deeds like making her head spin. 

_"Pizza has been around for over a century so- yes?”_

She turned to fact, the undeniables. Though in the face of a half-alien government fugitive, Connie couldn’t say that fact and logic were her greatest allies.

_“What’s it like to remember pizza, Connie?”_ He asked lazily, as if he wasn’t really expecting an answer. Though, the way he was looking at her (poorly concealed grin and all) deemed otherwise.

_“Steven, what- What are you trying to say at me???”_

_“It’s been so long. Connie. The pizza.”_ His voice was filled with melancholy. Steven was very much, obviously, longing for a simpler time as he clutched his chest and bowed his head in respect. 

Oh.

So, he _was_ teasing her. 

That was a relief, honestly. Which was odd, considering Connie never particularly cared for being teased. Maybe the difference was that Steven was never malicious about it, never commented on her features (except maybe to excessively compliment her), it was always fun and sweet.

A lot of things were fun just because Steven was involved. 

“ _Back in my day, pizza was **everything.** Never hear people talking about pizza anymore…”_ He took a moment to shake his head, before gazing a little too forlornly out the small window, _“Was it even real, Connie?”_

She let out a bark of laughter, the reaction almost involuntary because, how could she not laugh? 

Connie missed the wide, proud grin that poured over Steven’s chubby features, her eyes sliding close to allow her own smile more room..

_“I-… Hahaaha! Oh man-”_

Then, she realized something. Just as abruptly as she started laughing, she stopped, her face now one of sympathy and concern.

_“Oh… Steven…”_

He was being literal, too. 

Steven knew all too well what pizza was, that was for sure. He wasn’t asking about it because he needed to be educated on it. He was asking because he _missed_ it. Of course he did! She would, too! 

Seconds later, Connie was scrambling towards her backpack, rummaging through the many pockets for… something-??? Steven couldn’t tell, even as he stood curiously behind her.

_“What are you doing?”_

_“I’m fixing this,”_ She said determinedly, finally finding what she was searching for. She whipped the object out with a triumphant flare, one hand in the air and the other on her hip as she declared, _“We’re getting you a pizza.”_

_“Connie!”_

And as much as he wanted to refuse, to insist that it was fine and wouldn’t be worth the risk, all he could do was gasp and blush because _of course._

_Of course_ Connie would go out of her way to right anything she thought was wrong, to help those she cared about. 

She really was _that_ amazing…

_“I can’t even believe it took us this long, honestly!’”_ She went on, her focus now on the screen of the brick like object in her hand. She completely missed the starry eyed look on Steven’s face as she searched and mused, 

_“Well, we are trying to be careful, I guess… it’s a good thing I picked up this burner phone recently!”_ She made a noise of delight, tapping along the screen furiously before pausing to smile brightly at her companion.

_“Don’t worry Steven, we’ll get a pizza delivered here in no time!”_

* * *

Once he realized she was _serious;_ her fingers quickly tapping the screen and briefly scrolling through the menu, he almost asked her if they could go to the pizzeria and pick up their order, but, thought better against it. 

They had to be careful, after all.

The two of them had already had more than enough close calls running into (and away from) the government and they were _barely_ out of the SouthWest, they had to continue lying low if they wanted to get to Delmarva as soon as possible. As much as he wanted to walk into the restaurant and take in all the smells of fresh, _buttery dough-!_

…He knew that delivery was the smarter, safer option. 

Instead, he focused on how even just ordering for delivery generated a feeling of nostalgia. A warm, sad feeling so closely linked to the days where he would walk along the boardwalk and order a fresh pie from Fish Stew Pizza, just to say hi to Kofi and his family. 

The thought of them; Kiki, Jenny, Nanafuea… people he hadn’t had the capacity to think on in _years_ , had his eyes a little misty and Steven was sure a tear or two fell by the time Connie returned from the front door, pizza box in hand. Connie smiled gently at him and the sight of it had him flushing pink instead, in awe at the generous person in front of him. The two of them had even set the table; paper plates and Connie’s reusable utensils decorated the small laptop desk tucked away in the corner of the room. 

It was a special occasion! 

Steven was going to have pizza for the first time in a long time, he was going to love it and he’d be really happy and it would be _amazing_. Connie definitely did not remember asking for Scillian pizza (in fact she’s _sure_ she hadn’t, she’d only had it herself maybe once or twice and could remember not exactly being thrilled…), but chalked the lack of specificity up to her over enthusiasm while ordering. 

_‘Send over the best and cheesiest pizza you have! Extra Large!’_

Yeah, that _might’ve_ had something to do with it.

Still, she was going to share a whole pizza pie with Steven and have a great time because that’s what normal teenage friends did. So what if the desk was way too small for the two of them to be sitting at, much less _eating at_. Steven was large and wide, an unignorable presence; thick legs barely fitting underneath the desk space and brushing up against her knees as she sat criss-crossed. It didn’t bother her at all that she felt the warm skin of his broad ~~muscular, _comforting_~~ arm shifting against her own as she reached forward into the open box.

Not at all.

“…technically, we’re getting _more_ pizza this way!” Connie caught herself babbling, unaware that she was even talking in the first place. It was a force of habit at this point; for her to pinpoint the issue with something and spout out some trivial piece of information that was supposed to make everything better.

It was all about perspective, wasn’t it? 

Because, even though they were surely driving straight into a trap, even though she had probably ruined her chances at any kind of elite higher education, even though they were just two scared kids trying to survive-…

At least, they were together. And they were friends ( _finally,_ she had a _friend_ ). 

And there was pizza.

“Let’s take the first bite together!” 

Connie picked up two slices, handing Steven one on his paper plate, before tapping the crust ends together, as if to toast to the cheesy treat. 

The action felt right. 

It made Steven laugh, anyway and with that, Connie knew then that they were off to a great start. A wide grin sprang onto her face as she brought the slice (that felt _way_ _too_ ** _heavy_** , the extra side of the pizza, _obviously_ , ruining the perfect cheese to sauce ratio-) up to her lips. Connie motioned for Steven to mirror her, taking a large bite when she saw him bring the slice to his mouth. The larger teen hesitated, but then followed suit with his own, much smaller bite.

“Connie.”

The two looked at each other, eyes wide and watering, faces alit with disgust. 

Bodies remained stiff in shock as the thick, gob of cheese lay grossly in the middle of their tongues. Connie made the (awful, poorly thought-out) attempt to swallow and immediately regretted it, reaching for the complimentary stack of tissues and spitting the offending piece of food out of her mouth. 

“Okay. I hate it too. I’ll call back and see if we can get a proper pizza.”

Steven spit out his own barley chewed up bite with a grateful sigh of relief, more than happy that he didn’t have to suffer through another mouthful of coagulated monstrosity.

“Thank youuu.”

Another thirty minutes and a free pizza later, Steven finally realized something.

After this, he’d probably never eat pizza again.

Ordering out was always nerve-wracking (they made their own meals more often than not), but his conclusion was more based on the fact that even though the pizza was good (and _not **square**_ )… _something_ was different. 

The cheese didn’t settle and create that warm, safe feeling he was expecting, the sauce was a little watery and the crust was crispy but wasn’t as fluffy in the middle as he imagined it’d be.

It was nothing like the slices from ~~home~~ Fish Stew Pizza, nothing like how he thought recreating his childhood would be li-

But, Connie was with him, snug by his side and enjoying her food. She gifted him with a bright smile, cheeks full and eyes closed in delight as she chewed. Cactus snored from her sunbathing spot near the window, napping contentedly. 

And that, more than the pizza, left him feeling full and satiated. 

So, maybe pizza wasn’t his favorite thing anymore and that was okay. Yeah, it hurt a bit to know that he’d never really receive the same comfort from the oven baked goodness again, that Steven couldn’t deny. He was already more than a little ~~numb~~ used to the feeling of watching his childhood slip by ahead without him, the list of things he never got to fully appreciate or understand only growing due to his kidnapping. 

Pizza was another one of those things, it seemed.

This was different though. That feeling was usually accompanied by dread that he would never be able to feel joy for anything _at all_ again. That wasn’t what he was feeling right then. 

In fact, Steven was feeling kind of… hopeful?

Because even though he didn’t enjoy pizza like he used to, he knew now that there were other things he enjoyed more.

Like spending time with his Connie, tucked next to each other in a barely decent motel room, talking about nothing and everything all at once. 

Being human. _Feeling_ human.

That was nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out more content at https://suwantedau.tumblr.com/
> 
> Stay safe!


	3. Texoma Thriller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven and Connie come across the scariest thing yet in their fugitive adventure... FOMO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! I needed some sweetness in my life due to some hard personal stuff I'm dealing with right now, so I wrote this to celebrate one of my favorite holidays. Times are weird and different right now, but please find ways to enjoy yourself safely <3
> 
> -Written by QueenKorri, Beta'd by DepressedCarrot (thank you as always <3)

_“Is that a... school girl costume?”_

* * *

The two fugitives had finally made it through and out of the ever expansive desert about two weeks ago. Ducking in and out of small towns to avoid the government, they now found themselves in mid-Texoma. All the running and desert camping they’d been doing the last two months, October had snuck up right on the two teens. And before they knew it, it was TopsyTurvy.

Despite being literal, modern-day outlaws and all the trouble they’d run into, Connie made it a point to carve out ways for her and Steven to have fun together. They were two people in a miserable situation, but that didn’t mean that they themselves had to be. They just needed to be careful and, at this point, she figured Steven had suffered enough. Unfortunately, their last few attempts to have fun didn’t end up too well. The moments they shared together were joyous while they lasted! But... their last city excursion had resulted in Steven catching a fever from extreme stress. 

Nursing someone back to health wasn’t particularly what Connie would call _fun,_ either. 

With all that, it was no wonder how TopsyTurvy Day snuck up on them.

Steven could see Connie was disappointed; he was too! The socially deprived young man hadn’t celebrated the holiday in _years._ Trick or treating and scary movies weren't exactly a priority in the scientist’s research of him. As his mind was wont to do, he wondered what kind of decorations all the Boardies put up, wondered how amazingly spooky the boardwalk would look... 

He and his dad would’ve been watching all the classics together...

Connie never had anyone to partake in TopsyTurvy festivities with her, despite the holiday being one of her favorites. The young woman would sometimes dress up and go to a local parade, but always alone. She was usually invited to a few parties this time of year but could never work up the nerve to go. Which was especially disheartening because _this_ was the year that Connie had wanted to perfect her Lisa costume from her favorite book series, Unfamiliar Familiar. However, becoming the accomplice to a nation wide fugitive (who was quickly becoming her best friend) had taken precedent. 

It was _dangerous_ to go out, though. Even in costume. 

The last time they’d been in a large city was proof enough of that. It finally seemed like they got Colonel Ryan and his goons off their trail. Since going out and carelessly having fun in Los Fuegos is _kind of_ what got them into that situation, they decided to err on the side of caution.

...That didn’t mean they couldn’t dress up for each other though. 

The two hyper, older teens had dashed into a drug store an hour before closing upon the hasty decision. They couldn’t take much more sitting around in the small motel room, watching as others paraded outside in their costumes once night fell. Plus, none of the good movies had come on yet and the boredom they faced was far more terrifying than anything else in that moment.

The two friends had made it a challenge; pick out a costume for the other and keep it hidden until they got back to the motel. Connie set a thirty-minute timer on her burner phone, (purchased quickly after one of their first run-ins with the government) and they dashed through the store. The owner of the small business looked on with a weary smile as the straggling customers picked through the scrapings of leftover costumes. 

Connie had avoided the costume section altogether. Steven was a big guy, so the most logical pursuit was to come up with something a little more homemade. 

Though... she wasn’t exactly feeling _inspired…_

What kind of costume would Steven want to wear?

When was the last time he even got to dress up? 

( _Ugh. This was the gas station_ **_all over again._** ) 

What would he look good in? 

Not that that last question really mattered. 

The competitive teen searched frantically through the masks because that would be the best option for her runaway companion, obviously. The only problem was that all of them were either too grotesque or looked too cheap. She supposed she had no right to complain, since it was the actual holiday. They were lucky that the first store they stumbled into happened to have anything to pick through at all. 

That’s when her eyes zeroed in on the cat ears. Which was stupid. 

Cat ears weren’t going to cover Steven’s face or his eyes.

(... _But he would look incredibly cute~_ ) 

Without much more thought, Connie plucked the ears off of the rack. Then, she raced off to the beauty section for black eyeliner. It was _TopsyTurvy Day_ , if anything people would just think the pink of his irises were due to costume contacts. They weren’t supposed to be going out, anyway, and the sight of Steven in cat ears was a treat she wasn’t going to miss out on.

* * *

In Steven’s case, he found himself similarly stuck. There weren’t a lot of options left and he found himself far more focused on the hilarious image of Connie in some of the costumes rather than actually finding something. He was sure he wasted a good five minutes staring at a poorly made, gaudy wedding dress and blushing, but that was neither here nor there. He examined a pumpkin costume shortly, considering it; then ultimately deciding against. It was definitely right up _his_ alley, but... wearing a pumpkin costume didn’t exactly scream _Connie_ to him. His intelligent confidant had spoken at length on bioengineering and the importance of growing one’s own food (a _few_ times) while they drove around and camped in the desert. Still, that didn’t exactly mean that she would want to dress up as a vitamin rich squash for TopsyTurvy. The idea _was_ adorable though. Tucking that image away to daydream about later, Steven contemplated over the available options for a few more moments, before he landed on something _perfect!_

A school girl costume. 

It was a little on the nose, but-! ...One of his favorite things about Connie was how much she valued education; how much the intelligent young woman loved to learn as much as she did teach. He often caught himself fantasizing on what it would’ve been like to attend classes with her. School was something Steven would fantasize about frequently whilst holed up in his room in between experiments, (questioning or some variation of the two) sleep escaping him. The new idea of being classmates with Connie only made the concept all the more alluring. In the quiet moments, huddled up in her truck or a cramped room, he’d curl around her and watch as she typed away on her laptop or scribbled in her journal. Theories and stories she created and expanded upon spilled from her fingers and lips as soon as the half-gem hybrid would ask for elaboration.

Steven had also yet to see Connie in a skirt in all their time together. She’d made it a point to get him some admittedly fashionable duds when they first met and he figured it was time to return the makeover favor. That thought propelled him to the register, bursting into a jaunty run when he spotted Connie out of the corner of his eye heading in the same direction.

* * *

They ended up calling it a tie. 

* * *

So, now, there they were. Back in the small motel room, giddy smiles on their faces and costumes hidden behind their backs. Barely containing their giggles as they counted off together,

“Thr- Haha stop it, I’m gonna pee!”

“Fffff- _You_ stop it!”

Or, at least tried to.

“Three…”

“Two…”

“One, go!”

Simultaneously, they whipped the items of their conquests from behind their backs, proud smiles quickly falling into befuddled expressions. 

“Steven... I know you don’t know the implications of this but _oh my god..._ ”

She snorted, too amused by the pink-eyed teen’s blushing to get properly worked up about the sexism linked to a school girl uniform as a costume. Still, Connie didn’t want it to seem like she was just making fun of him. But, before she could properly explain the long, exhausted history and battle of reclaiming the school girl image in modern feminism, the flushed boy mumbled, 

“I guess... now is a bad time to tell you that I once had a bad experience... being a cat.”

“I’m sorry- what?”

What had they _done_ to him in that place?!

“I shapeshifted into a bunch of cats once and my dad had to hose me down so I could turn back to normal. It was really traumatic...”

Connie blinked owlishly at him, frozen momentarily before she was all flailing arms and gestures.

“You can _shapeshift?!_ You didn’t even need a costume!”

“W-Wha- I can’t do it well, _obviously!_ That’s why I don’t turn into cats anymore!”

And she couldn’t hold it in any longer, hysterical laughter bubbling out of her loudly and unbidden, As always, it infected her friend. The two found themselves leaning onto each other, slumping on the single queen sized bed as they tried to catch their breath.

It turned out the skirt was far too big for her, anyway; the only sizes left at the store apparently weren’t small enough to fit her. The lithe teen yanked the ears from out of Steven’s hands and placed them atop her own head with a bright smile. 

And that vision was infinitely cuter and more rewarding than anything his imagination would ever come up with. 

The young man adorned himself with the school girl costume instead, the skirt fitting him surprisingly well. The shirt that came with it was too slim for his broad figure, however. He decided just to leave it unbuttoned, which would’ve been fine if he was wearing an undershirt. Honestly, the untucked shirt just looked sloppy. They might not have been exactly going anywhere to impress anyone else, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t put their all into dressing up. Connie looked at him ponderingly, failing to hide her blush at the nakedness of his chest (though, by now it was certainly a familiar sight). With a quick snap, the young stylist tugged him to her by the ends of the shirt, tying it up snugly underneath his pecs. She took a step back to examine her alteration.

Oh no. 

That was worse.

Well, it was actually better.

_(...Waaay better...)_

The blouse confined his chest attractively, plaid skirt settled comfortably on his hips with his pink gem hidden underneath the pleated fabric. 

She distracted herself by pulling out one of her spare tennis outfits so they could match somewhat (ignoring those implications as well). Along with it, two belts, black and brown respectively. Tossing him the brown one and explaining how to tie it so it mimicked a tail, she bounded off to the bathroom to change. Wasting little time, the sports uniform adorned teen called Steven into the tiny washroom once she finished so she could draw whiskers on him if he so pleased. 

He did so please. 

After quickly applying the others makeup, they went to check out their finished looks in the full length mirror. Though... the makeup process probably would have gone much quicker if Steven weren’t so giggly,

_‘You’re gonna mess up the line!’_

_‘It tickles!’_

Or if Connie weren’t so prone to squirming, 

_‘Connie! You’ve gotta keep your eyes closed.’ _

_‘I’m trying! But there’s a stick of ink coming at my face!’_

But, they were in no real rush to go anywhere. They could take the time to be squirmy and giggly.

Steven twirled. Once, twice, enjoying the swish of the fabric against his thick thighs as Connie smiled at their reflections. 

“Lookin' _f_ _eliiiine!_ ” The costumed young woman exclaimed, throwing finger guns and posing.

Steven’s eyes sparkled at her pun, inciting him to share some of his own as he threw a friendly arm over her shoulder.

“We look _purrfect,_ the cat’s meow~” The two fell into another bout of laughter when an excitable, well rested Cactus began to yip and yap at their ankles.

“How do we look, Cactus?” Steven asked genuinely, he very much valued the succulent’s opinion.

“ _Yip!_ ”

“Aw, shucks! Thank you!”

She was such a flatterer. 

Connie could only shake her head and look on slightly befuddled, more than used to these conversations between the two hybrids. The only thing that _really_ confused her was just how Cactus understood English? Or any human language, truly...

“ _Yip yip!_ ”

“Oh, what’s that?” The bulkier of the two crouched down to the chatty plant, ear turned towards her as if to better translate her barks. 

“ _Yip!_ ”

“Cactus, I dunno... I mean that sounds _pretty_ risky…” 

“ _Orrff, yiiiip!_ ”

Finally, inquisitive nature getting the better of her, Connie laughed almost exasperatedly,

“What are you two going on about?

“ _Yipyipyip! Yip!_ ”

“Alright, alright! I’ll tell her,” Steven straightened up after that, holding the adorable ball of needles in his arms and that’s when Connie knew she was in trouble. Whether he realized it or not, Steven would often use Cactus’ adorableness to amplify his own in order to get something he wanted. It was a tactic that worked _all too well_ on her, 

“Cactus thinks we should take a quick stroll around the neighborhood…”

There it was.

“Steven…”

“I know, I know! It’s dangerous but... we’re together!” He grabbed her hand and turned them back towards the mirror, squeezing affectionately, “Plus, look how good we look! We’re cactus approved!”

It really wasn’t fair. She didn’t stand a chance, not with the tender way he was holding Cactus, the now familiar softness of his palm against her own or his beaming smile.

He was here.

She was here. 

They were together.

They could take on anything, because they weren't alone anymore. 

“Okay!” She conceded bubbly causing Steven to wrap her up in a tight embrace; twirling them around and almost knocking over a nearby nightstand in the process. Connie could _feel_ his gem glowing against her torso more than she saw it. With a nervous laugh, the cautious young woman added, 

“But, not for long!”

* * *

They ended up staying out for hours, delighting in the treasures of the small town after dark. They played silly games, getting caught up in a game of tag with the neighborhood children that offered them candy because they loved their costumes. After that, they didn’t run into many other people. The ones they did see, however, were entirely impressed with the quality of Steven’s "contacts" and made sure to compliment them.

And for a few hours, in the twilight of All Saints Day, they were just two teenagers. Just two people enjoying themselves, stargazing on a tree branch because it was a clear night and they wanted to. Things almost felt normal. 

Almost.

The fear, the paranoia was still there.

( _Otherwise, they probably would have fused at one point... The want was palpable enough._ ) 

They were terrified that at any moment while out in public, Steven would be recognized. Any humanity or kindness others had shown him would turn into cold prejudice. 

But they hadn’t. 

They gave Steven sweets and even sweeter compliments. And here he was, staring at the cosmos with the sweetest friend he’d ever had. 

What a thrill it was, to enjoy life again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continue staying safe, have a spooky rest of the month <3

**Author's Note:**

> Check out more content at https://suwantedau.tumblr.com/


End file.
